With the award-winning The Silences of the Palace, Arabic filmmaker Moufida Tlatli offers in microcosm the oppression of women in 1950's Tunisia on the eve of revolution. When a 25-year-old singer (Hend Sabri) hears of the death of former monarch Sidi Ali (Kamel Fazaa), she returns to the palace where she spent her youth. As she wanders through the building, memories of her mother and childhood accost her. It's through the eyes of an innocent and confused child that Tlatli depicts the harem-like structure of the palace, the ruthless sexual slavery of women servants, their resulting unwanted pregnancies, and, most of all, their unspoken pain. Beautifully rendered, exotic, and honest, The Silences of the Palace is a courageous film that speaks loudly of past injustices. Highly recommended. (L. Russo)
The Silences of the Palace
(Capital Entertainment, 127 min., in Arabic w/English subtitles, not rated) Vol. 12, Issue 3
The Silences of the Palace
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